The Heat of Battle
by The Shinster
Summary: SG-1 is caught in an ambush when they gate to a run-of-the-mill planet. Can they get out of this one? Team fic, with emphasis on S/J. WARNING: Character Death!
1. Trees, Trees, and More Trees

The Heat of Battle

By The Shinster

Early Season 6, before Frozen and Abyss

Summary: SG-1 is caught in an ambush when they gate to a run-of-the-mill planet. Can they get out of this one?

WARNING: Violence, Character Death!!

Spoilers: Up to Season 6, and including "Redemption" and "Descent"

Disclaimer: Stargate and all its characters are the property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions, Stargate SG-1 Prod. Ltd. Partnership, and probably a few other corporations I have not listed or know about. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon copyright laws and is solely meant for entertainment. No profit was made from this story.

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A/N: This is my first fanfic, so I hope you enjoy it. I enjoyed writing it! This story will have a sequel (eventually). At first I was going to make it one big story, but I decided to split them up. I love Daniel, but when I started writing this story I felt that Jonas was actually a better fit for where I was heading with everything. Don't worry though, Daniel will make several appearances in the sequel. I want to emphasize the warning again that there will be character death (though with Stargate, no one's ever _really _dead, right?). I did not have a beta reader, so any mistakes you see are mine.

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Chapter 1: Trees, Trees, and More Trees

P3X-482 looked like a hundred other planets Colonel Jack O'Neill had seen: trees, trees, and more trees. But something was amiss. The Stargate sat in the middle of a large clearing surrounded by forest. It seemed like a run-of-the-mill planet, nevertheless he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his gut.

He tried to convince himself he was just on edge after the whole Stargate nearly blowing up and destroying the world thing a few weeks ago. After all, the UAV sweep had shown no life forms in the area, except for a few woodland creatures. But one look at Teal'c told him he wasn't alone in his suspicions.

To an outside observer, Teal'c looked like nothing was wrong, but Jack noticed the tense grip on his staff weapon, the characteristic turn of the head, and the slight change in body language that Teal'c possessed when sensing danger.

"Do you see something Teal'c?" Jack asked, hoping the jaffa would be able to spot something he missed.

"I am unsure, O'Neill." Jack stood waiting for more, but Teal'c just stepped forward down the stone steps leading from the Stargate and into the clearing ahead of them.

"Okay…thanks for sharing your thoughts!" Jack teased, but all the while he was gripping his P90 and scanning the empty clearing in front of them. A dense forest sprouted up about a hundred yards from their position, but it was hard to see past the dark shadows cast by the trees. As far as he could see there was nothing there, but that didn't settle his nerves.

Major Samantha Carter stepped through the event horizon and moved to her CO's side, her weapon and eyes scanning the seemingly deserted tree line. "Sir?" she inquired, sensing his concern.

"Not sure yet Carter, but Teal'c's spidey sense is tingling, and so is mine." She nodded her understanding and continued her vigilant surveillance.

Jack felt the tension in the air. He motioned for Carter to take up position by the DHD as he moved towards Teal'c. He didn't take his eyes off the tree line surrounding them. He was searching for the slightest movement, but still found none.

"Anything, T?"

"Nothing, however I do believe we are being watched."

"Yeah, I'm getting that feeling too. But you can bet whoever it is out there ain't gonna to show themselves until the Stargate shuts down."

"Indeed."

A few more moments passed before the newest member of SG-1 stepped through the 'gate. "Colonel, I've got…," Jack was thankful that Jonas stopped mid-sentence. He must have noticed his teammates' body language and knew there was a threat.

_At least the kid learns quickly, _Jack thought. Just last week Jack had to cut the newbie down a few notches after he nearly gave away their position during a recon mission. Jack was even impressed that Jonas had taken out his 9mm and was heading towards Carter and the DHD.

Just as Jonas reached Carter, the Stargate blinked out.

"Sir! 10 o'clock!" she shouted, as five jaffa could be seen moving out of the tree line to their left. Jack and Teal'c quickly took cover behind a fallen tree and were immediately bombarded with staff weapon fire. Jack could feel the heat from the blasts and saw a bit of bark go flying as their makeshift shelter was hit.

Jack heard Carter's P90 and the pinging of the jaffa's metal armor as they were hit. He took the opportunity to pop out from behind the tree and return fire. Their P90s were far more accurate at this distance than the staff weapons, and he and Carter quickly took out four of the jaffa. Teal'c took careful aim and felled the fifth.

"Ha!" Jack smirked, "too easy!" He threw a big boyish grin across the field towards Carter, where she stood with her P90 still raised. "Nice shooting there Major."

"Thanks sir," she smiled, "but I don't think it's over yet."

The grin of victory was quickly wiped from his face as a dozen more jaffa marched out of the dense forest. "Oh crap! Carter! Dial us out of here!" was all Jack could say before he opened fire once again.

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A/N: Thanks for reading my first chapter of my very first story!! I hope you enjoyed it. There are more chapters to come. Please take a minute to click on the green button and review! Do you love it? Hate it? Am I the worst writer in the world? Let me know what you think!


	2. Interference

A/N: Wow! Over 200 hits in one day! Granted, I have nothing to compare that to, but it seems like a lot to me. I want to especially thank those of you who reviewed (you know who you are), I really appreciate it! If you didn't review, it's okay, because you're reading this anyway :) I meant to have this chapter posted earlier, but I ended up making quite a few changes from my original. I actually like it a lot better now. From now until the end of the story, each chapter will be from a different character's POV. This chapter is Jonas; remember, this is early in season 6 so he's still new to the team and he still calls Sam by her rank. And just in case this confused anyone, phrases in _italics_ are the character's thoughts, but single words in _italics_ are just for emphasis. And for the light of heart, please read the posted warnings! Okay, on with the story!!

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Chapter 2: Interference

When the jaffa started coming again Jonas got off a few shots, but Major Carter pushed him down to the ground as a staff blast whipped through the space he was just occupying.

"Thanks, Major," he exclaimed.

"No problem, just do me a favor and stay down until I say it's alright," she said as she rolled off of him. "Then dial us home while I cover you." Jonas simply nodded, a little embarrassed that he was being ordered to hide.

Major Carter carefully got up and crouched behind the DHD. She paused and gathered herself for a moment before opening fire on the approaching jaffa.

Jonas felt helpless hiding while Major Carter risked her life to defend him. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt the macho instinct that _he_ should be the one protecting her. Even though he was pretty sure, hell _definitely _sure, that she could take him any day. It was times like these that he felt like a liability to the team and that he didn't have the right to be out here with them.

Jonas looked to the left and saw Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c firing their weapons at the new wave of jaffa, doing their best to keep them at bay. It seemed like they were pinned down for the moment. _How were they going to get out of this one? _He wondered.

Jonas peeked up from his hiding spot and saw an approaching jaffa only a few feet from them. He was about to shout to Major Carter when he saw the jaffa fall dead in his tracks and looked up to see her standing over the body.

"Alright Jonas, now!" she shouted.

Jonas quickly got up and moved around to the front of the DHD. "What do you say we get out of this hell hole?" she said to him.

"Yeah, count me in," he replied, then turned towards the DHD.

Jonas had memorized Earth's address months ago on Kelowna, when he first met SG-1 and the Tauri. In fact, he had already committed dozens of addresses to his memory, thanks to his heightened ability to assimilate information. But he'd only been on a handful of missions since joining SG-1, and he'd certainly never had to dial out under this much duress.

The sound of gun fire startled him and he turned to see Major Carter firing at two jaffa who were attacking from the nearby forest. Jonas went to grab his 9mm from his thigh holster, but by the time he got it out, she had already dispatched with the two warriors.

"Don't worry Jonas, I've got it. Just concentrate on getting us home," she said encouragingly. _How can she be so calm? _He acknowledged her words with a nod, trying to hide his shaken nerves. _No wonder Colonel O'Neill doesn't trust me. I can't even get my gun out in time to help._

Colonel O'Neill's voice over the radio interrupted his thoughts, "Carter, come in."

"This is Carter, sir." Jonas looked over and saw Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c taking cover in a low ditch. There were still several jaffa attempting to over take their position.

"Teal'c and I are trying to pull back to the gate, but we're pinned down at the moment. You and Jonas go ahead of us."

"Sir, we're not leaving without you," she replied. "We'll radio the SGC for back-up, then come for you."

"Negative Carter. The enemy is superior. We don't have much time until we'll be overrun." For the first time that day, Jonas saw Major Carter hesitate. He was taken aback as well, as he realized that Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c might not make it back to Earth.

"Sir, we can help you. I can be there in three minutes!" she said, regaining her composure. Jonas looked across the field to their position and saw the Colonel staring back. He thought he saw a glint of fear cross the seasoned soldier's face, but it was gone in an instant. He glanced at Major Carter and saw sweat dripping down her face and the determination in her eyes. "Jonas, dial the gate and radio for back-up. I'm going after the Colonel and Teal'c." She quickly surveyed the area and readied her P90. "You should be safe here for the moment." Without another word, she set off determinedly across the field.

Jonas turned around and was surprised to find he had stopped mid-dial. "Major!" Colonel O'Neill's voice cut through his thoughts. "Under no circumstances are you to leave Jonas. You are to get him and yourself back to Earth, do you understand!?" The conviction in his voice was evident. Even through the radio, Colonel O'Neill was an intimidating man.

Major Carter stopped in her tracks only a few yards away and looked back at Jonas. She then looked across the field. Teal'c was firing his staff weapon at the approaching jaffa, trying to deter their approach. The Colonel ignored the chaos around him. He resolutely looked at her and she back at him. Jonas couldn't help but feel they were having an entire conversation across a battlefield with only their eyes. After a few seconds, Major Carter turned her back to the Colonel and walked towards Jonas. She had made her decision.

He hastily returned his attention back to the DHD. It took him only a moment to figure out where he had left off in the sequence, and he managed to dial the remaining symbols. He depressed the center button and felt a slight electrical discharge. He thought something was wrong for a moment, but relief washed through him when the Stargate blossomed to life.

"Major! I've got it!" Jonas shouted. He turned to find her standing guard once again. She glanced at the Stargate, but immediately returned her attention to the possible threat that loomed in the shadows of the nearby forest.

Without taking her eyes off the tree-line, she depressed the call button on her radio. "SGC, this is Carter. We are under enemy fire. Repeat we are under fire. Request immediate back-up."

She paused for a response, but received none.

"SGC, this is Carter, please respond."

Still no response. Jonas saw a hint of worry cross her face.

She looked at Jonas, and he reached for his own radio. "Stargate Command, this is Jonas. Can you hear me?"

Nothing.

Major Carter tried again, "Colonel O'Neill, do you copy?" She waited a beat, but there was still silence. "Teal'c?" Jonas glanced over in their direction and saw them continuing to hold their position. She was looking at them too, and he saw the regret in her eyes that she wasn't fighting along side them.

"Major?" Jonas looked questioningly at her, "What's going on? The radios were working a minute ago."

"Something must have happened when the gate activated. There's some kind of interference jamming our radio signals," she explained. "Did you see anything out of the ordinary when the gate activated?"

"No," he replied, "but I felt something. Like a small static shock when I pressed down on the center button."

She looked inquisitively at him. "Jonas, keep an eye on that tree line. I need to examine the DHD."

"Shouldn't we go help Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c?"

"We need to figure out what's going on first, or else none of us are going home," she said solemnly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, not really sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"Our GDOs use radio waves to transmit our iris code. If the radios aren't working, then the GDOs won't either."

The implications of this information deeply unsettled him. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Couldn't we just dial another address, then gate to Earth from there!?"

His smile faded when he saw the expression on her face. "Yes that would work, but we would need to dial out again. And for some reason the gate is still active."

Understanding dawned on him and he replied, "Of course, a Stargate normally only stays open if something is being transmitted through it or it is actively being fed power. We know the radios aren't working, but there could be another source of transmission or power to keep it open."

"Yes. I think that whatever is jamming our radios is also keeping the gate active. With the gate still active, we can't dial another address. And we can't go home either," she concluded. "If I can disconnect the device, or whatever is causing the interference, we should be able to use our radios and GDOs again."

She crouched down to access the control panel to the DHD.

Just as Major Carter opened the panel, Jonas saw a glint of armor in his periphery. "Major!" he shouted.

He raised his 9mm to fire at the enemy, but was pulled down to the ground as he felt a searing pain in his arm. Major Carter had tackled him at the legs and likely save his life, again. She gracefully rolled off him and began firing at the approaching jaffa. Jonas quickly recovered and took aim at the enemy as well. They were only yards away. He felt fear and adrenaline coursing through him. He felt as if time slowed down, his aim became confident and true. He killed one, then another of the enemy, but they seemed to keep coming. He kept firing until he realized he was out of bullets and the enemy all lay dead on the ground.

He looked around wildly, unable to believe he had survived the battle. His stomach dropped at the realization that Major Carter was not celebrating with him. He quickly spotted her telltale blonde hair. She laid motionless on the ground. _No, this can't be happening. _He ran to her still body, hoping she was alive.

"Major Carter!" He gently rolled her onto her back and saw blood stemming from her left arm. He heard a short moan and saw her good arm go for her P90.

"Major, it's okay. It's Jonas," he said comfortingly. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Jonas," she said softly and smiled. Relief swept over him and he let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding.

All of a sudden he felt an immense pain and force on his chest, and he realized his body was being thrown backwards. Then he felt nothing.

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A/N: Duh, duh, duh...I think I'm getting a knack for these cliffhangers :) I can tell you it was a blast to write this chapter, so I hope it was just as fun reading it! The next chapter will be from Sam's POV. I'm hoping to get it out in a day or two (maybe three?), but since I did a pretty big rewrite with this chapter, I will have to do some rewrites for the rest of the story too. Please, please, please, tell me what you think! Just press the green button below and leave a review, it only takes a minute (honest)! I really want to know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. Otherwise, how will I get better?


	3. Breathe

A/N: Sorry for the late update! I hope those of you in the US had a good Thanksgiving weekend! This chapter is from Sam's POV. There is some overlap with very end of the last chapter, so you'll recognize some repeat dialogue in the beginning. I hope it was worth the wait :) Enjoy!

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Chapter 3: Breathe

Sam vaguely heard someone say her name but couldn't figure out who it could be. The side of her head ached and she felt her pulse pound against her temple. She heard staff weapon and P90 fire in the distance, causing their current situation to come flooding back to her. Ambush, orders to leave, Stargate, radio,…. She then felt someone rolling her over and the movement sent a surge of pain down her arm. A moan escaped her lips, but she quickly quieted herself. She instinctively reached for her weapon, but heard Jonas's voice.

"Major, it's okay. It's Jonas," she heard through the lifting haze. It hurt a little to open her eyes at first. The sun was blindingly bright and she had a hard time focusing on the person kneeling over her.

"Jonas," she said softly and smiled. _He's alright, thank God._

All of a sudden she heard a staff weapon discharge, felt the heat of the blast as it passed over her, and saw the blast hit Jonas in the chest. His body was thrown backwards out of her line of sight.

Her right hand still gripped her P90 and she quickly sat up and fired at the approaching jaffa. They were completely taken by surprise and fell quickly.

Sam ignored the pain in her shoulder and head, and hastily stumbled over to Jonas's body. As she neared him, she saw the large red stain blossoming from his chest. It had been a direct hit; right at his heart. Even so, Sam crouched beside him and felt for a pulse.

Nothing.

_No, not Jonas too. _Memories of Daniel's death flashed before her. It had only been a few months since she saw Daniel die of radiation exposure. Only a few months since she saw his body disappear into a great white ball of energy. Now she had lost another teammate.

The clanking of metal boots in the distance returned her to reality. Sam's combat instincts kicked in and she pushed the swirl of emotions from her mind; she would grieve later.

Looking around she saw that the Stargate was still open. Across the field, the Colonel and Teal'c were continuing to hold their ground. She tried the radio again, hoping it would work, "Colonel O'Neill…Teal'c, do you copy?"

No reply.

She felt a wave of disappointment. If the device could hold the gate open the maximum 38 minutes, it meant their next chance of dialing out wouldn't be for another half-hour or so. Way too much time for her to hold the gate by herself. Not to mention that she wasn't sure if the Colonel or Teal'c could hold off the jaffa that long. She considered taking a crack at the device in the DHD that was interfering with their radios, but without someone else to cover her she'd be a sitting duck.

The sound of marching boots was drawing nearer. She had to move. Sam looked down at Jonas one more time, regret washing over her that he wouldn't get a proper burial.

She checked her P90 and loaded a new magazine, then set off towards her remaining teammates.

0-o-0

Sam used the scattered rocks and low lying ditches as cover as she made her way behind the Stargate and across the field. The recent rush of adrenaline was starting to wearing off. The pain from her pounding head and agonizing shoulder began surfacing, but she determinedly pushed it to the back of her mind. Her only thoughts were of survival; survival for her team and for herself. She had determined their best shot at getting off this planet alive was to retreat into the woods and evade the enemy for as long as possible, then make a move on the Stargate.

Sam knew there wouldn't be any back-up from the SGC. With the continued interference, they couldn't communicate over the radio or the MALP. General Hammond wouldn't risk sending another SG team into unknown danger. She hoped she would have time to try to jerry rig something together with their radios. If she could boost the signal enough, it might be able to penetrate the interference to get a message through.

But she had to get the Colonel and Teal'c first.

As Sam approached their position from the rear Teal'c spotted her. She signaled that she was circling to cover their retreat into the forest. They just needed to hold on a bit longer.

When she was 25 yards from their position, she spotted a group of jaffa trying to flank them from the side. She yanked out the pin of a grenade with her mouth and threw it at their feet.

The sudden explosion took everyone off guard. Sam used the opportunity to take down the last of the flanking group, then she laid down cover fire.

"Colonel! Teal'c! Go! I'll cover you!" Sam shouted. Colonel O'Neill looked like he was going to start yelling at her right there for disobeying orders, but seemed to think better of it. He and Teal'c retreated back towards the forest as Sam continued to fire.

The jaffa were now very aware of her presence and her position was quickly becoming compromised. She had to move soon. Once she saw that the Colonel and Teal'c were at a safe spot she made a break for it, hoping the trees would give her cover.

After a few yards, Sam felt a searing pain graze her side and she stumbled. She quickly caught her footing and turned around to start firing at the responsible shooter, but was hit again. Sam felt the wind get knocked out of her, her feet left the ground, and she felt her body impact the hard earth.

The pain was unbearable, she couldn't breathe, yet somehow she didn't lose consciousness. She couldn't believe she was alive. She tried to move, but couldn't, all she could do was watch her shooter moved closer for the kill. Before he reached her several shots rang out from behind her and he fell dead to the ground. She felt someone slip their arms under her armpits and drag her away.

It was the Colonel. "Sir,…," she croaked out through gasping breaths.

"Shh, it's okay Carter. You're going to be okay," he said as he brought her into a small hidden enclosure surrounded by dense foliage. "Fraiser will fix you up, good as new when we get home." His small words of encouragement eased some of her anxiety, although she knew their chances of getting home just got a lot slimmer. He deftly pulled out some field dressings from his pack and pressed them on her chest to slow the bleeding.

"O'Neill," Sam hadn't noticed Teal'c crouching beside them until then. "There are many forces approaching from the east and south. We must go now if we endeavor to make it back to Earth."

"Sir,…they're jamming…," Sam was overcome with a coughing fit, but the excruciating pain wasn't enough to quiet her. They needed to know. "Radios…GDO…won't work."

"We noticed the radios. You're sure the GDOs won't work?" He asked.

Sam just nodded at him. He looked down at her and their eyes locked. She knew he understood what they had to do: hide and evade. Not the best situation when you're bleeding and injured.

"Sir,…you and Teal'c…should go," she said through labored breaths.

"Not without you," he replied. "I'm stubborn too, you see." He attempted a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Sir, please…I won't make it anyway," she tried to pull her hand away from his, but he determinedly held on.

"That's not gonna happen Carter," he said resolutely.

She wanted to continue arguing with him, but dizziness and nausea overcame her. He helped roll her on her side and she vomited. She was disoriented and it was hard to keep her thoughts straight. The events of the past few minutes were starting to become a blur.

"O'Neill!" Teal'c shouted.

Sam heard weapons fire. It took a moment to register what was going on. _They've found us. _She looked up and saw the Colonel and Teal'c firing at the approaching jaffa. Her zat was still in its holster, so she reached down to grab it. The small movement sent a shock of pain through her but she managed to grab hold of the zat. Next she tried to sit up, but found she didn't have the strength.

Before she knew it, strong arms quickly picked her up off the ground and hoisted her into a fireman's carry. The pain from the motion was unbearable and she nearly vomited again. She dropped her zat moments before losing consciousness.

0-o-0

"Carter,…," she felt a gentle patting on her cheek. "Carter, wake up."

She blinked sleepily at the blurry image in front of her but couldn't keep her eyes open. "Oh no you don't." She felt another gentle pat, "Come on Carter, stay with me."

The pull of darkness was strong, but she fought to stay awake. "Sir?" Her throat was dry and her voice hoarse. Everything hurt: her head pounded, her shoulder throbbed, her side burned, and each breath stung; but she couldn't remember why. One thing she did know was they were not in the infirmary. _What I wouldn't do for some good drugs right now. _

Slowly, the blurry image became clearer and she saw the Colonel kneeling over her.

The remembrance that they were on the run from the jaffa hit her. A feeling of panic rose in her chest. They had to keep moving or they would be found! She tried to roll onto her side and found she couldn't. Her arms felt like lead as she tried to move them. _What's wrong with me!_

"Carter, calm down," the Colonel said concerned. "We're safe here."

She looked into his eyes and saw his resolve. She felt safer, knowing he was there, knowing he said it was safe. "No one's going to find us here, it's well hidden," he said reassuringly.

Once he was satisfied she had settled down he grinned and said, "Glad to see you're awake though, you had Teal'c worried there for a while."

Her eyes found Teal'c standing guard at the entrance to the small cave where they had taken refuge. "Sorry," she rasped. The memory of being thrown over his shoulder came back to her.

Teal'c nodded at her. "I am glad you are awake, Major Carter, but I fear it is my fault you lost consciousness. The manner in which I carried you was not conducive to your injury."

"You did…what you had to," she said between breaths. The events of the day were slowly returning to her.

A wave of pain overcame her, and she squeezed her eyes shut to bear it. It felt like an elephant was standing on her chest and stabbing her with a knife every time she took a breath.

"Carter?" The Colonel said, his words laced with worry. When she didn't say anything, he quickly reached inside the med kit and took out some morphine.

Sam was concentrating on the pain so much that she didn't feel the needle pinch her thigh. After a few moments the sharp pain subsided a little, though it still hurt to breathe. It felt like the elephant only had a small dagger now instead of a Ka-Bar.

She opened her eyes and found him staring anxiously back. "I'm okay," she whispered, attempting a weak smile.

She didn't think he believed her, but he didn't say anything.

He gently lifted the jacket that covered her to check her bandages. A slight chill ran through her spine as the cool breeze grazed her skin. Her vest and jacket had been removed and she was just down to her black t-shirt. She tried to lift her head to see the extent of her injuries, but the effort caused even more pain. Her head never left the bundled up jacket she used as a pillow. Looking up, Colonel O'Neill was busy checking her injuries. She was grateful that he didn't notice her pathetic failed attempt.

Her physical weakness scared her. The idea that she couldn't protect herself, that she couldn't even lift her head frightened her to death. She knew things were bad, that there was little chance she would survive. Looking at the Colonel and Teal'c she knew they would do anything for her, that they would risk staying here for her. Even though the Colonel said it was safe, she knew it was better to keep moving...to never stay in one place too long. If it weren't for her, they would be able to evade the goa'uld long enough to get back home. Sam couldn't stand it if she was the cause of them all getting killed or captured.

She was about to tell them to leave her behind, when the Colonel spoke. "Where's Jonas?"

Sam was taken aback for a moment by his question. _Oh god, they don't know about Jonas._ They didn't know he was dead. That _she_ had let him die. The image of his lifeless body flashed before her eyes.

"Sir,…Jonas's dead," she said with regret, tears forming in her eyes.

He looked away from her, grief and anger written on his face. The movement surprised her. _He blames me. I blame me. _

"I'm sorry, sir," she whispered. "I failed Jonas… and you."

He looked back at her, not with blame or anger, but with surprise and regret. "It's not your fault Carter. It's mine."

"Sir,…"

"No Carter. Once I knew something was wrong I should have dialed us home right away. _Before_ all hell broke loose."

"Sir,…," she tried to interject again, but he wouldn't let her.

"We should have stuck together. If I hadn't split us up this wouldn't have happened. Jonas would still be here, you wouldn't be hurt, and I'd be in the commissary having cake right now!" he exclaimed.

"Sir, it's not your fault," she began, but started coughing. She saw and tasted blood. A shot of panic raced down her spine.

"Carter?" he asked worriedly.

She couldn't answer him as a new wave of pain hit her. The elephant was back in full force, and he brought some friends to wreak havoc with the rest of her body. Just when she thought the pain was passing, she began coughing again. Each cough felt like a bullet ripping through her chest.

She felt him move behind her and lift her head onto his lap so she wouldn't choke on her own blood. Then he gently took hold of her hand. She took the proffered gesture and squeezed his hand to get through the pain. Eventually, the coughing stopped and her breathing became regular. The whole ordeal left Sam exhausted. She didn't even have the energy to turn her head when he spoke.

"It's okay. You got through it," he said soothingly. "It's going to be okay."

She appreciated the encouragement, but she knew it was just for her benefit. Things were _not _going to be okay. More likely, things were going to get worse.

It was disconcerting when she opened her eyes and saw spots in her vision. _Oxygen deprivation_, she thought_._ She concentrated on taking calm shallow breaths. It still hurt to breathe but it was at least somewhat bearable.

Sam began drifting into unconsciousness, she felt her body shutting down. On the plus side, her pain was fading as she succumbed deeper into the darkness.

"No Carter, fight it," he spoke with conviction, "That's an order."

It took a moment for her to understand what he said. "Y.., sir," she replied.

Sam continued to fight for each breath a few minutes longer, but the world around her had become a haze and her vision was continuing to narrow. She had disappointed him before by letting Jonas die and failing to get through the gate. Although she knew she wouldn't be able to fulfill this last order either, she vowed to try as long as she could.

After an uncertain amount of time, she felt a warm presence on her cheek and muffled sounds, but didn't know from whom. All she could do was concentrate on each breath, no matter how much it hurt. She needed to fight it, it's what he wanted. _Breathe, just keep breathing,_ she told herself.

A few moments later, a voice broke past her mantra. His voice. He was speaking to her, but she didn't understand what he was saying. Nevertheless, it soothed her. She felt a light touch on her forehead, and felt him tighten his embrace.

Sam put all her energy into opening her eyes one last time. The last thing she saw was his warm brown eyes, willing her to live. His lips were moving, but she still didn't understand. _I'm sorry, sir._ She gave into the darkness and let death take her.

* * *

A/N: Please don't hate me! I did warn you that there would be character death! I know this probably wasn't the direction a lot of you thought I was going, but it's where my muse took me. But don't worry, this is not the end of SG-1. I hope I didn't go overboard on the Sam whump. She is my favorite character and I love to see her strength through adversity. Please take 30 seconds to a minute to review! I really want to know what you think. I'm going on a long trip this weekend, so I hope to finish the story before then. The more reviews I get, the more motivated I'll be to finish (wink, wink).


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